Building record MAB4960 - GORDONSTOUN HOUSE

Mansion house, walled garden, water tower and surrounding designed landscape.

Mansion house, walled garden, water tower and surrounding designed landscape. The house has a 3-storey, 8-bay central block from circa 1730, but with an earlier course. It is flanked by 2-storey, plus attic, 4-bay wings, which also incorporate earlier work. The north facade is polished ashlar, with harl pointed rubble elsewhere with ashlar dressings. Originally known as Bog of Plewlands, the land was owned by the Ogstouns during the 15th century, by Innes of Innermarkie and Innes from 1473 -1616, by George, Marquis of Huntly, from 1616 -1638, and subsequently purchased and renamed Gordonstoun in 1642 by Sir Robert Gordon. The west wing may represent the original 15th century tower house, with portions of a long 16th century wing incorporated in the southern part of the central block. It was rebuilt in 1616 by the 1st Marquis of Huntly. In the wings, there are 17th century corbelled conical roofed bartizans at each angle, and mid 17th century coat of arms of Nova Scotia inserted in the first floor west gable. There is a secondary entrance in the north elevation to the extreme right under a reset coat of arms of Sir Robert Gordon (1580-1656). The north elevation was re-faced with extensive symmetrical re-fenestration and other external alterations in circa 1730, with further alterations during the 19th century. It has a low ground floor with small windows in the centre black and a band course between the ground and first floor and ashlar quoins. There is a lugged architrave to the centre door, which has a classical doorpiece dated to 1730 with paired engaged Corinthian columns on plinths that support the entablature and modillioned pediment. The south elevation is similar to the north front, but wings project forming shallow U-plan. The centre door has a moulded lugged architrave and rectangular vent above. Masonry scars, blocked windows at the ground floor and remains of vaulting all indicate unfinished alterations. There are two small oval windows, one in each outer bay, between the first and second floors. There is a single gabletted dormer and single scroll skewputt to each wing. Multi-pane glazing is used throughout. There are moulded corniced stacks to the balustrade. There is a flat roofed main block, and a slate roof with a stone ridge to the wings. There are mid-19th century gabletted dormers in the wings. It became a school in 1934, and was then altered after it was damaged by fire in 1940. Extensive repairs took place in 1945, and the balustrade in 1979, although the fourth-storey mansard roof behind the balustrade was never re-built after this fire. It has a round stable block which now houses a library and classrooms (NJ16NE0028). Within the house there are a number of memorials, including one to Dr Kurt Hahn who was the founding headmaster of Gordonstoun School, and one to former pupils killed in World War II and later conflicts. Internally there is a barrel vaulted passage that runs the full length of the ground floor. The main rooms of the centre block were left unfinished after the 1730 alterations. They were refurbished during earlier/mid 19th century and again after fire circa 1945. The entrance hall is panelled with using re-used panelling from the former Drainie parish church (NJ16NE0013) in 1821 by Gillespie Graham. There is a cantilevered stair with a wrought-iron balustrade from the ground to the first floor. There are some corniced ceilings in the flanking wings, and a re-used ashlar doorpiece at the first floor, with an owl in the pediment. There are high coped flanking garden walls extend at each side from wings, each with an entrance close to the house and decorated with re-used pediments, and at left with a re-used over mantel dated to 1679, and is said to have come from one of the demolished Elgin Cathedral Manses. The nearby Michael Kirk (NJ16NE0012) is used as the school chapel. Aberlour house (NJ24SE0020) is used as a preparatory school for this school. A watching brief was undertaken by Highland Archaeology in October 2004 over the excavation of foundations for a new studio theatre at NJ 1908 6942. No archaeological features or finds were recorded during this work. A watching brief in 2006 at NJ 1829 6913 prior to construction of a new building recorded no archaeologically significant features. There was significant evidence of root disturbance and burial of rubbish. Following on from a desk based assessment, watching briefs were carried out by Avon Archaeology (Highland) from February-April 2022 during ground works for a new classroom hub building (NJ16NE0174), and August-September 2022 during trenching work for the installation of new underground services for the classroom building (NJ16NE0175).

Period Notes
Built in the 16th century, and rebuilt in 1616. Renamed in 1642. The tower was domesticated in 1730, and the classical facade added in 1775. It became a school in 1934, and Cumming House was built in 1939. It was damaged in a fire in 1940. St Christopher Chapel was built in 1966. Designated on 26/01/1971.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 26/05/84 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

MACDONALD, WR, 1900, PSAS 34(1899-90) 344-429, 406 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1181.

WATSON, WJ, 1926, CELTIC PLACE NAMES OF SCOTLAND, 321 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2004.

CANT, R, 1948, OLD MORAY, 29 (Bibliographic reference). SAB216.

HIGHLAND ARCHAEOLOGY SERVICES, 2004, WATCHING BRIEF: GORDONSTOUN SCHOOL (Bibliographic reference). SAB2761.

WOOD, J, 2005, DES VOL5, 2004, p.86 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2102.

PETERANNA, M., 2006, GORDOUNSTOUN SCHOOL MUSIC REHEARSAL FACILITY: WB (Bibliographic reference). SAB1465.

WATCHING BRIEF

WOOD, J, 2007, DES VOL7, 2006, p.110 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2095.

MITCHELL, K, 2014, MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS (INCLUDING BURIED TOMBSTONES): THE MICHAEL KIRK, GORDONSTOUN. MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP (Bibliographic reference). SAB5186.

AVON ARCHAEOLOGY (HIGHLAND) LIMITED, 2021, GORDONSTOUN SCHOOL, DUFFUS, ELGIN, MORAY - DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CLASSROOM-HUB BUILDING ARCHAEOLOGICAL WSI, WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB8402.

AVON ARCHAEOLOGY (HIGHLAND) LIMITED, 2022, GORDONSTOUN SCHOOL, DUFFUS, ELGIN, MORAY CLASSROOM-HUB BUILDING - SERVICE TRENCHES: ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF PROJECT DSR, Watching Brief DSR (Bibliographic reference). SAB8400.

AVON ARCHAEOLOGY (HIGHLAND) LIMITED, 2022, GORDONSTOUN SCHOOL, DUFFUS, ELGIN, MORAY CLASSROOM-HUB DEVELOPMENT: ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF PROJECT DSR, Watching Brief DSR (Bibliographic reference). SAB8399.

Aug 4 2015 , AAS-GR-15-08-267 - 294, AAS-GR-15-08-267 - 294 (Ground Photograph). SAB30919.

Aug 4 2015 , AAS-GR-15-08-488 - 491, AAS-GR-15-08-488 - 491 (Ground Photograph). SAB35406.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., EVENING EXPRESS, 9/12 (Bibliographic reference). SAB446.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 28/07/80 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Record last edited

Jan 18 2024 1:49PM